Teen seized in firing at police chief Second youth also charged in incident involving Tolliver.

August 10, 1992|By Peter Hermann | Peter Hermann,Staff Writer

A 17-year-old male has been charged with shooting at Maryland State Police Superintendent Col. Larry W. Tolliver.

A 14-year-old boy was charged with assault in connection with the incident, which occurred while Colonel Tolliver participated in an undercover drug deal Friday night in an Anne Arundel County public housing complex.

State police from the Glen Burnie barracks served warrants at two houses in Pioneer City in Severn Saturday night and arrested the two youths.

Isaac Jermaine Brown, 17, of the 1900 block of Arwell Court, was charged as an adult with wearing a handgun, reckless endangerment and three counts of assault. He also was charged as a juvenile with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. He allegedly fired several shots at a car driven by a state police sergeant in which Colonel Tolliver and a Sun reporter were passengers.

The Brown youth was being held last night at the Anne Arundel County Detention Center in lieu of $10,000 bail. He may have a bail hearing today.

The 14-year-old, who was questioned by police Friday night, was charged as a juvenile with one count of assault for allegedly throwing a cup of beer on Colonel Tolliver. The boy was released to the custody of his parents.

Colonel Tolliver, who was promoted in May, has been making unannounced visits to barracks to see crime problems firsthand and to get involved in police operations.

On Friday night, he was being driven by Sgt. Diane J. Kulp and accompanied by veteran Sun police reporter Roger Twigg, who was sitting in the back seat of the unmarked police car when the shooting occurred.

About 8:45 p.m., Sergeant Kulp drove Colonel Tolliver into Pioneer City, where they posed as people looking to buy drugs. She spotted a group of 15 people and asked if she could get a "20" -- or $20 worth of crack.

The suspected crack dealer got suspicious, however, and yelled, "You look like cops." Sergeant Kulp drove off, then returned. The youth told her to pull into a parking area, but the officer refused because there was no escape route.

When Sergeant Kulp drove on, a youth yelled obscenities and threw a beer into the open car window where Colonel Tolliver was sitting, splashing him and the car.

Police said another youth then pulled out a handgun and fired at least seven times at the car as Sergeant Kulp sped off. Bullets grazed a rear door of the car. At least two bullets struck the side of the car.